EU Didn't Stop Apple From Including Charger With M5 MacBook Pro

[LV426]

I don't mind if they don't supply a power brick but then please reduce the price by £50

The price is £50 less than it would be. If it included a power brick, it would be £50 more.

Frankly, I couldn't care less. Anyone upgrading to a new MacBook will likely have an adequate and perfectly functional charger already. Why waste money buying a new one unless you have to?

 

[hans1972]

>

The confusion appears to stem from the EU's 2022 Common Charger Directive, legislation designed to standardize charging ports and give consumers flexibility when purchasing new devices. The directive requires that all smartphones, tablets, and laptops sold within the EU use USB-C for wired charging.

No, the main goal has always been to reduce e-waste by reducing the amount of chargers produced.

The common port was just import to achieve that goal.

 

[hans1972]

Selling a computer without a charger is ridiculous. Apple’s greed knows no limits

Then you must mean that the main goal of the common charger initiate for the last 15 years is ridiculous. The goal of the EU is to unbundle the sale of an electronic device with its charger.

 

[freedogshampoo]

I can understand not including 20-30w bricks for iPhones since you might have many lying around. But not including a 70w brick for a $1200 device is crazy.

 

[hans1972]

Apple saw a way to reduce the cost and blame the government. They seem more intent on squeezing every last penny from their customers.

Apple hasn't blamed anyone.

 

[techfirth]

So many comments.
So few actually reading the article. 🙄

 

[Chrisp1234]

EU is mean to Apple, Apple is mean to the EU

And everyone is mean to the UK

 

[hans1972]

The simplified SKU argument is invalid because most EU countries use different keyboard layouts. It’s not just about throwing a different plugs into the box — the laptop’s body itself varies significantly between markets.

This makes it even more reasonable for Apple to do this.

Let's say there are 20 keyboard layouts in the EU. If they also had to add a charger, then Apple would have needed to double the number of SKUs.

Also, the size of the notebook bodies doesn't change.

 

[hans1972]

This is what happened.

ATP covered it on their podcast.

It's basically malicious compliance from Apple.

I wish people who vociferously defend Apple at every turn would hold them to account when they are choosing compliance methods that are bad for consumers.

It's not. The ATP people don't know what they're talking about.

The goal of the EU regulation is to unbundle the sale of electronic devices and chargers. The EU wants PCs to be sold without chargers.

"Unbundling the sale of a charger from the sale of the electronic device

Consumers are able to purchase a new electronic device without a new charger. This limits the number of chargers on the market or left unused. Reducing production and disposal of new chargers is estimated to reduce the amount of electronic waste by 980 tonnes yearly. "

The EU common charger

The common charging solution promotes the use of common chargers for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.

single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu

“the absence of harmonisation … the fragmentation … and the need to impose requirements to ensure that consumers … are not obliged to purchase a new charging device with each purchase of a new mobile phone or similar item of radio equipment. Unbundling the sale of charging devices from the sale of radio equipmentwould provide sustainable, available, attractive and convenient choices for consumers.”

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A32022L2380

 

[maflynn]

Apple hasn't blamed anyone.

Apple blames EU's Digital Markets Act for feature delays | TechCrunch

Apple is blaming the EU's enforcement of the DMA for delaying the launch of some features in the EU, saying the rules are "leading to a worse experience" for Apple customers in the bloc by exposing them to new risks and reducing choices.

techcrunch.com

 

[hans1972]

If Apple want to sell complex, high-value products with the same logistics costs as selling bottles of water, that's on Apple. The EU scheme is sensible and should help stop companies gouging for proprietary power supplies whether or not it actually cuts waste. If Apple choose "malicious compliance" and don't pass on the savings to the customer or offering them a free charger, that's on Apple.

One of the main goals of the common charger regulation is to unbundle the sale of electronic devices and chargers.

“the absence of harmonisation … the fragmentation … and the need to impose requirements to ensure that consumers … are not obliged to purchase a new charging device with each purchase of a new mobile phone or similar item of radio equipment. Unbundling the sale of charging devices from the sale of radio equipmentwould provide sustainable, available, attractive and convenient choices for consumers.”

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A32022L2380

 

[Sophisticatednut]

To be fair, the EU law is also tone deaf to the true cost manufactuers would face trying to implement this.

Sure, it sounds trivial, but it would force 2 configuration options to stock and ship for each unique product offering (size, memory, etc). That effectively doubles the number of products they need to carry.

A better option would be to package everything without it and offer the charger separately (for free). But even then, Apple would need to do this globally, or at a minimum support a EU and non EU option.

My guess is they’re testing the waters. Most people probably already have a USBC charging brick. If there is tons of backlash they can just offer it for free as a separate option. But they also probably want the EU lawmakers to feel some shared pain and ultimately the consumers get hurt.

That makes zero sense. The regulation in question states that they can exclude a charging brick. It gives them the option instead of it being a requirement to include.

 

[hans1972]

Apple blames EU's Digital Markets Act for feature delays | TechCrunch

Apple is blaming the EU's enforcement of the DMA for delaying the launch of some features in the EU, saying the rules are "leading to a worse experience" for Apple customers in the bloc by exposing them to new risks and reducing choices.

techcrunch.com

Do you know the concept of context?

Apple hasn't blamed anyone for selling MacBooks without chargers.

 

[brownj218]

Selling a computer without a charger is ridiculous. Apple’s greed knows no limits

The M5 MBP is 100€ cheaper than the previous model....and Apple sells the 70W charger for 65€.

So if you buy the 14" MBP with charger today...you save 35€ compared to buying it last week and you get a more capable machine. Plus you now have the option to save a full 100€ if you don't need the charger.

But Apple's greed somehow knows no limits? Genuinely asking... what am I missing?

 

[tennisproha]

Thanks for clearing this up. The EU gets unfairly blamed for any changes but they have some great regulations we wish we had in the US. At the same time they don’t get it right every time so it is a balancing act.

 

[t0rqx]

We knew this years ago.

 

[julesme]

It’s just penny pinching from Apple. That’s the real answer. Personally I think it’s wild that devices don’t come with the equipment needed to charge them. And for all you people who always say “I have loads of chargers lying around” how come you didn’t give them away with your previous devices? Or are they all just lying around in a big pile too? Personally when it’s time to pass my previous device on, the cables and chargers go with them.

If you trade in your MacBook at the Apple Store, they don’t require that you provide the power brick. You can keep it.

 

[Pedersenko]

You do know that the retaliatory tariffs are raising costs for Apple? Apple to their credit believes in the administration's vision in repatriating manufacturing to the USA. Losing a charger in the box is worth it if my laptop says Made in USA.

So EU is compensating US for these tariffs? Don’t understand your logic

 

[Pedersenko]

Soon you will have to buy a separate screen and Enter button

 

[neuropsychguy]

You forgot that just this year, the USD has lost about 15% to the EUR. That reduction in price is just a small compensation for that and has nothing to do with a not-included power charger.

That's true, but if Apple is as greedy as many people claim, why wouldn't Apple keep the prices the same in the EU and get more profits?

 

[turbineseaplane]

It's not. The ATP people don't know what they're talking about.

You should email them!
They do corrections (if actually incorrect).

Feedback — Accidental Tech Podcast

Three nerds discussing tech, Apple, programming, and loosely related matters.

atp.fm

 

[neuropsychguy]

Soon you will have to buy a separate screen and Enter button

If the EU passes a law requiring it, you might. Despite what the title of this article suggests, this unbundling of the charger was in response to the EU regulations that go into effect in April 2026.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Well explained here by 9to5Mac



It’s important to understand two things that the law does not say.


First, it does not prohibit companies from supporting more than one charging standard: it simply says that it must be possible to charge the device using USB-C. This is how Apple is able to sell a MacBook Pro with both MagSafe and USB-C charging ports.


Second, it does not ban companies from supplying a charger at no additional cost. It merely says consumers must be offered the choice.


It would obviously be equally wasteful to make two versions of MacBook Pro packaging in Europe – one with a charger, the other without. For that reason, it makes absolute sense that Apple doesn’t include the charging brick in the box.


But Apple would be perfectly free to simply ask people, “Would you like a charger with that?” (shades of McDonalds …) and if they said yes, to throw it in free of charge.

The fact that the company charges for those who do want one is a commercial decision by Apple, not a requirement of the law.

 

[nnoble]

How does Apple benefit from p*ssing off its EU customers when Apples beef is with EU govt.?

The EU is not a country. The EU does not have a 'government'.

 

[nnoble]

So many comments.
So few actually reading the article. 🙄

Glad you pointed this out. I was concerned so many have difficulties with comprehension.